PRINTER'S NO. 1215
No. 932 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY C. WILLIAMS, SCHWARTZ, O'PAKE, WAGNER, MUSTO,
KITCHEN, TARTAGLIONE, ERICKSON, COSTA, ORIE AND MOWERY,
OCTOBER 8, 2003
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER 8, 2003
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Pennsylvania Commission for Women; and
2 providing for its powers and duties.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Definitions.
6 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
7 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
8 context clearly indicates otherwise:
9 "Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission for Women
10 established in section 2.
11 "Executive director." The Executive Director of the
12 Pennsylvania Commission for Women.
13 Section 2. Commission.
14 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the
15 Pennsylvania Commission for Women to be composed of at least 15
16 members but not more than 21 members.
17 (b) Members.--Members shall be appointed by the Governor and
1 shall function in an advisory capacity to the executive
2 director.
3 (c) Chairperson.--The Governor shall designate one member as
4 chairperson of the commission.
5 (d) Terms.--Members shall serve for staggered terms of one
6 or two years as the Governor shall designate.
7 (e) Vacancies.--The Governor shall fill any vacancies that
8 may occur.
9 (f) Reimbursement.--Members shall serve without salary but
10 shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses
11 incurred while attending official commission meetings and
12 performing such other official functions as the director shall
13 prescribe.
14 Section 3. Executive director.
15 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Office
16 of the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission for
17 Women.
18 (b) Appointment.--The executive director shall be appointed
19 by the Governor.
20 (c) Employees.--The executive director shall employ such
21 other persons as are needed for the proper administration of the
22 program.
23 (d) Reporting.--The executive director shall report directly
24 to the Governor, advising the Governor of matters affecting
25 women.
26 (e) Advocacy.--The executive director shall function as
27 State government's advocate for women and shall have the
28 responsibility for developing and implementing policies and
29 programs to insure that women receive equal treatment in all
30 areas of life and to insure that the Equal Rights Amendment to
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1 the Constitution of Pennsylvania is fully implemented.
2 (f) Information.--The executive director shall widely
3 disseminate information and data concerning women. All
4 Commonwealth departments and agencies shall send to the
5 executive director any data and information which is categorized
6 by gender.
7 (g) Agency support.--The executive director shall cooperate
8 with and enlist the support of appropriate agencies, both
9 governmental and nongovernmental, to insure that issues of
10 gender inequity are vigorously pursued and corrected.
11 (h) Annual report.--The executive director shall issue an
12 annual report to the Governor and to the citizens of this
13 Commonwealth and shall make recommendations as he considers
14 appropriate.
15 Section 4. Powers and duties of commission.
16 The commission shall have the following powers and its duty
17 shall be to:
18 (1) Assist the executive director to develop policies
19 and carry out programs.
20 (2) Upon recommendation of the executive director, the
21 commission shall investigate broad scale practices and
22 policies which serve as barriers to equality for women and
23 recommend means to end them.
24 (3) In its investigations and deliberation the
25 commission, with approval of the executive director, shall
26 hold such public hearings as it considers necessary to gather
27 information, inform the public of its activities and
28 encourage public participation therein to address the issues
29 raised.
30 (4) The commission shall convene at least quarterly and
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1 at the call of the executive director. A majority shall
2 constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting the
3 business of the commission. A vote of the majority of members
4 present shall be sufficient for all actions of the
5 commission.
6 Section 5. Effective date.
7 This act shall take effect immediately.
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